Staking machine



s'ept. 21

D. E. HARDING STMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l arri@ y Filed August 18, 1925 Sept. 21, 1926.

D. E. HARDING STAKING MACHINE Filed August 18 4 Sheets-Shea?l 5 Sein. 21,1926.. 1,600,957

D. E. HARDING STAKING 'MA'HINE Filed Augusnls. 1925 4 sheets-sheet 4 7J i g5.

n if i 1 vals with staking members operating in as` DANA n. HARDINQOF Antin-siren, MASSACHUSETTS, AssiGNon 'ro .tunisino Eitor- 'NEERING COMPANY, OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Application filed August 1S, 11925.

My present invention relates to leather working machines, and more particularly to an improved staking machine. Y

In the manufacture of leather from hides and skins, lan important step in the process is the softening of the leather before havin-'g certain operations performed thereon such, for example, as glazing or boarding. lThe leather, as it comes from the drier, is hard and stiff and before cert-ain necessary operations are performed. thereon, the leather mustV be made pliable while lstill in the nearly dry condition. At present thisv operation known asstaking is performed on the staking machine in which a pair or"- cooperating and' rapidyv reciprocating staking elements.

graspV the leather at any desired point and are rapidly pulled away from the4 leather, such elements coming to the `edge ofy the leather releasing themselves therefrom.

During this operation the leather mustbe held againstthe'force exerted by the membeis by the operator of the staking machine. This staking operation is what is usually lknown in tanneries as Vthe man killing job because of the fact that numerous accidents,

some of which are fatal, occur because of therapidly reciprocating members above re-` ferred to, and also accidents in the natureof strain or rupture frequently occur because of Vthe fact that it has heretofore been neces'- lsary for the operator to-hold the leather against the tension exerted by the machine.

YWith a. View to overcomingobjections in prior structures and to produce a machine in which all of the work except guiding is performed by the machine, I- have devised the present apparatus and in such apparatus have substituted for the reciprocating stak-- ing members a pair of' cooperating` endless chains such chains being provided at intersociation with each other, and also associate Vwith said members' a Work clamping means,

automatically operated in synchronism with the staking elements.

' chines and the like.

The principal object of my invention,

therefore, is animproved staking machine.

Another object of my invention is an iinproved clamping means for staking -ma Other objects and novel features of the construction and arrangement of parts comprising the structure will appear as the de-f V81 and cotter pin 32 maintainingsuch roll- Vscription of the invention progresses.

nasi." Bossen, Mass-aonn'sn'tirs, Va' CORPORATION orY sTaniNe'MAonNE.

tion,

Fig. 1 is a Aside elevation; t 'Fig. Q is a front elevation, lpartly iii secion; i

3 is a plan view, partly insecten; Fig. (lis apei'specti've view of the work supporting table, and j Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the base or pedestal of ythe machine. f

Referring to the drawings, 10- designates abase, atroneen'd of Vwhich are formed up wardly and rearwardly yeiitendiiigmembers 1.1 and' lrrespectively. ISecured to the por- Y tion 12, Vspaced apart from yeach rother "and` on each sideV of 's cliv portion' 12, aredo'wiwardlyextending vplates orlst-raps 13. Se@ cured to 'the Vstraps.113 o I'ifeach s ideof .the portion :12V substantially horizontaland spaced apart from eachother .are jstrapslt,l the rearv end of these straps being' securedby bolts 15 to the upright portionll. The' straps 13 and 11i Vconstitute a rectangular. framework. Secured to the inner I faces 'of the members "i4 and in alignmentwith each otherare substantially rectangular frames. 16, the ends vof which are rounded, as indi cated at 17, and such members form ,tracks for elements to be hereinafter described. Secured to the inner faces of the ends of each ofthe rectangular framesl in ade Vance, or to the left of the upright member .13, are bearings 18,'such bearings being in alignment with Veach other, and in these bearings is rotatably mounted a shaft 19, Secured to the shaft 19 between the bearings 18 is aisprocket 20 of suitablepitch and di= ameter. Securedto the inner faceoffeacli of the rectangular frames' 16 adjacent to,

and in advance of, the left hand members',

Vshaft 19.V iGiver the sprockets 20 and 2 6 runs an endless chain 27. lSecured to the endless chain?? vatintervals is a device comprising` spaced links 28 in which and at each end of.'

Vwhich are secured parallellyarranged shafts 29. Rotatably mounted on the shafts'29 and the end thereof are rollers 30, the washer Vers in operative position on ythe shafts 29. The rollers engage with the outer periphery of the rectangular frames 16 and the rounded ends 17 of which frames engage with the rollers 30 to guide the members 28 and attached parts therearound. Y Secured to,and extending outwardly on, the members 28 with respectto the conveyor 27 is a block 33 to each side of which and transversely of the conveying chain 27 is secured an outwardly extending plate 34 by means of bolts 35. The plates 34 are, as will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1, spaced apart from eachv other and their outerends Y are rounded andthey form, with the blocks 33, a substantially rectangular trough. Se-

Y cured tothe lowerinost portion of the plates 1,3 on each side of the rectangular framework by bolts 36 are bars 37,'such bars lying parallel to the members 14 and spaced apart from the lowermost plate 14 a distance substantially equal to the diameter ofthe rolls V30, these bars acting,with the lower-surface or edge of the rectangular frame 16, to prevent aftilting of the members 28 with respect to the line of movement thereof.` y' Y i Secured to thebase 10 and extending upwardly therefrom on eachV side thereof, in

manner similar tothe straps 13 on' the portion 12,'` are str`apsji38, :and secured to the Vstraps 38 lying"substantially.horizontal and spaced apart from each other are straps 39,

these straps being similar toY thesstrapsi14. above described. The rearmost portion of the straps .39 are attached to the upright portion 11 by. bolts 40. Secured to the inner faces of the .straps 39 are substantially rectangular frames41, the ends of which arej rounded, as indicated at v42. On Y"the inner'faces of the rear ends of the rectangular frames 41 in front of the upright 11 are bearings 43, but one of which isshown, simi- 1 lar to the bearings 18 above described, and

in such bearingsv is rotatably mounted main dri-ve shaft 44, this shaftV lying be-l neath and parallel to' the shaft above described. L* This lshaft 41 extends Vlaterally outward beyond'the lim-itsof the rectangular structure above described and .on suoli shaft are mounted the tight and loose .pulleys -45 and 46 respectively, aV collar 47? secured. to the end of the shaft 44 preventing longitudinal Vmovement of the loose pulley 46! thereon. `Over the pulleys 45 and -46 f may run a belt 48 leading from any suitable sourcev ofpower.. On the end of the shaft v'44`remote from the` pulley'45 is keyed bevel gear 49 which meshes witlnaiid'drives, a similar bevel. gear 50 keyed to the lower end of a-shaft 51' that is mounted for rotation in the vertical bearings 52 and 53 ysecured to theV uppermost longitudinal member 39 and the lower-most longitudinal meniber 14 respectively. Secured to the upper end of the shaft v51 lis, a bevel pinion 54 'ofthe rectangular frames 41.

which meshes with and drives a bevel pinion 55 keyed to one end of the shaft 19. lt

obvious that,rif power is transmitted to the shaft 44 through the belt 43 andt'ight pulsecured to such shaft between the bearingsv 57 is a sprocket 59 this sprocket being in alignment with the sprocket 56 above de-A scribed as being secured to the shaft 44. The sprockets 56 and 59 are equal to each other in pitch Vand diameter and are also equal in pitch and diameter to the pitch and diameter of the sprockets 2O and 26, andV over the sprockets 56 and 59 runs an endless chain 60. Secured at intervals along the length of the chain 60 is astaking mem- 1 bei` comprising a substantially U-shaped member 61 having at one side thereof members 62 through which pass pins 631for-at- Jcaching the same ytothe chain 66.' At each end of the elementV 61 lying parallel te each other and transversely to the direction oftravel of the chain 6() are shafts64.v On the outer ends of these shafts 64 are rotatably mounted bearing rollers 65, these rollers being adapted to rolll onthe outer periphery Secured to the inner faces of the upright-s 3S Aby bolts 66 andrlying parallel to theiinder edge .of

the lower reach of the rectangular frames 41 are bars 67, these bars being spaced apart ice from the rectangular frames 41 a distance Y substantially equal to the diameter of the rolls 64 andthese bars 67v act in conjunction preventing a rocking movement of the mem'- ber 61 and partscarried thereby about-'the pivotal connection 63 thereof Aon the chain 60. .Secured to'projecting portions 68 onf the member 61 is a shaft 69 and onsaid shaft is rotatably mountedthe roller TO, .the ,Y

diameter of this roller 70 being less by slightly more than twice the thickness ofL the ordinary sheet of leather Z 1 than the distance between the parallelly arranged elements 34 carried on the members 26. `This construction allows the leather 71 to assume the'positionindicated in Fig. 1 when the parallellyY arranged members 34 cooperate with the roller 70 and,if means is provided forholding the leather 71 stationary, it is obvious that the swell or wave formed in such leather will move to the right, as shown in Fig. 1, until the elements 34' and 76 'be come disengaged from Vthe leather.-v rlQhe izo with the rectangular frame 41 asuneaiis for 11m shafts 44 and 19, rotating at the same suitace speed and in the same direction, itY vobvious that the elements 34 and 70 that ture above described is 'awork table shown in 4, this table comprising essentially a plurality oit supporting legs 72 ot convenientsize and height, and on suc-h legs is secured a table top 73 provided one sidev with a downwardly depone. aprgm 74. Corner braces75 are provided for strengthening the structure. The table Vtop 73 is out away, as indicated at 7" lo, vto lallow the sameA to be -rushed into oofition with tlic .i n 1. ,l cutaway portion .lo in aiin line ot travel of 'the members 51 `and parts carried thereby,'the upper surface ot the table topY lyingl in ,the saine horiz@ plane in 'which the center ot the shatto runs when moving to the 'right as' viewed v t. t) -7 inl Fig.

The shaft 25 extend'slaterally outward at one side of the rectangular framework above described and on this extension is secured a pinion 77. yThis pinion 77 meshes with, and drives, a gear 78 rotatably mounted on a stub'sliait 79 that is secured to a bracket 8O secured to the outer ftorward end of one of the rectangular frames 16. Secured to the outer face of the gear 78 is a block 81. Fivotally secured to the outer ends of the bars 37 is a U-shaped member 82, this member being provided with aA downwardly .extending vface 83 adapted to engage with the leather 71 on the front end of the table top 73 and with arearwardly extending arm 84. This arm 84 has secured thereto a block 85 adapted to be engagedby the'bloclr81 on the gear 78 in the rotation of the gear. Secured to the free end oi'i the arm 84' is the lower end of a coil spring k86, the upper end ofthis coil spring being attached to the outer end of a pin 87 screwed into-'the rectangular framework 41.v The spring 86 normally rotates'the U-shaped'member 82 about v its pivot points so as to bring and hold the flat surface 83 in engagement with the sheet of leather 71 on the table top 73, but periodically in the rotation of the shaft 25 the block 81 onv the gear 78 is brought into en lgagement with lthe block 85 on the anni 84. and thus rotates the U-shap-ed member about its pivot points against the tensionV ot thev spring 86 and leaving the -ilat surface 83out of engagement with, and therefore freeing, the leather 71 on the table top 73.V By re ferring to Fig. 1. it will be noted thatthere are two of the blocks 28 with attached elef ments 34 and also two of the members 61 with'attached rollers 70. Further, it willbc noted that these elements on the same chains 1 ieacir -ent with the 34 and 70 aredrawn across the hide 71, flexare arranged practically equi-distant from" each other. The pinion 77 and gear 78 are so proportioned with the length ofthe chains 27 and 60 and the position of the elements;

28 and 61 thereonthat when, v*for example,

the elements34 and '7.0 that are now shown in engagement with the sheet. of leatherk 71 and in association with each-other move ott' the table top73 and before the next set ot'l elements 34 and roller 70 have come into association, the blocks 81 and' 85 will be-l come engaged tolitt the flat portion 83 off the U-shaped member 8201i the leather 71kv to release the same and will allow such blocks to move outiof engagement again tobrin'g the member 83 into the position shown Fig. 1 just before the next .succeeding eleiments 34'and 70 come into action. [During this period-.ot release, the operator.willhavel time to shitt the sheet ot leather on theV table top 73 to any position desired to thus bring anew. portion oi: theleath-er :71A :into

position Vto beopera'ted on by the element-s 34 and 70.` j f .o

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows, it being assumed thatit is desired to render pliable. a dried Y sheet of Ylea-theiy71 prior'to performing a 'certain necessary or desirable operation thereonrV The operator throws power into the machine kby moving the Vbelt 48, leading from a source of power, Jfrom the loose pulley 46 ontol the` tight pulley 45, this causing a rotation of th-e drive shaft 44 and therefore the simultaneous operation of the chains 14 and 39 at equal yspeeds and.v in the directionV ot the arrows indicated in Fig. 1, and also fcauses i intermittent operation of the lclamping der vice 82,*83 as above described. During one of the times when the iiat clamping member# '83 is moved up from the table 73," the operator slides' a hide 71'into the positionindicatedv in Fig. 1 and shortly after the clamping member 83 moves into the posi-V I tion shown'in Fig. 1 andk clamps a hide`7l onthetable 73. The members 28 and 61 on the chains 14 and 39 respectively move with vsaid chains and come into association with each other, the elements 34 on the member 28 being above thehide 71 and the ele., ment 70 on the member 61 being below the hide 71. kThe clamping member 83 holdsthe 5 hide 71 againstmovement and the elements When the` elements34 and 70 disengagexfrom the f hide 71, the bloclr81 on the Vgear 80 will move into :engagement with the block 85 on the arm 84 which will cause a rotative movement of the U-shaped member 82 about its .i pivot points,lifting the clamping member i 83 oli" the hide 71'. Thel hide 71 is now free to be moved Vand the operator thereupon gaged by the moves the 'same into a new position on the table top 73 so as to bring an unvvorked portion of the hidel into position to be en- IieXt succeeding members 34 and 70. Jus-t V,before the neXt succeedii'ig members 34 land 70 come into engagement with the hide 71, the block 8l Will have moved. out of engagement with the block 85 lsequence 'entire hide 7l land the spring 86 Will rotate. the U-shaped *member 82 about its pivot points and bring the member 83 into clamping position. This of ,operations is repeated until the has been worked over and rendered flexible and the sequence of operations may be continued indefinitely on succeeding hides; y

`While I have necessarily shown and de- An improved staking machine comprising a pair of endless chains parallelly arranged with respect to each other and having adj acent reaches spaced apart from each other and defining a passage for the reception of Work, a Work support associated with said chains, and having its upper surface lying ina plane between the adjacent r-eaches of thechains, means associated With saidy chains for maintaining adjacent reaches parallel t@ each other at all points and under all conditions, means for moving adjacent faces of said chains in the same direction and at thel same speed, staking elements carried by said chains and cooperating With each other to perform a flexing operation on Workheld in the Work support, clai'nping meansfor holding said Work on said support against movementrduring the operation of the staking means, and means associated With said chains for releasing said clamping means only after the staking means has performed its function.

In testimony whereof, I havelsig'ned my name-to this specification. 'i

DAA E. HARDiNG-Q 

